From Caribbean360

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Tuesday May 13, 2014, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have condemned the kidnapping of hundreds of school children in Nigeria by members of the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram last month.

They have joined the international community in demanding the return of the children.

The St. Kitts-Nevis government in a statement described the abduction as “morally reprehensible and has left a gaping vacuum in the entire community of Chibok and has had ripple effects across the nation of Nigeria and indeed the world.

“It has forced people everywhere to grapple with an issue that has been ignored for much too long – the plight of the over 65 million girls world-wide who are prevented from receiving an education.

“The Government and people of St Kitts and Nevis stand in solidarity with the people of Nigeria, particularly the families affected by this tragic event, and add our voices to the call for the immediate release of the girls and their return to the their homes and school.

“We also wish to join the mass campaign on behalf of girls all over the globe who share their daily battle to secure their right to receive an education. We welcome the global conversation that has intensified as a result of this act and hope that it will precipitate a global pact to defend and champion the rights of all girls to attend school. “

Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran said he was pleased that Nigeria “is now seeking support from the outside to help them deal with the abduction issues pertaining to that particular political conflict”.

President of the Islamic Missionaries Guild, Imtiaz Mohammed, said that holding women and children hostage is not a tenet of Islam and that Muslims who commit such acts are not following the teachings of Islam.

Mohammed said Islam does not prohibit a woman from education.

The Grenada government said it was expressing its “collective disgust about the situation.

“We are of the view that in a modern world community such barbaric actions must not be allowed to stand,” Social Service Minister Delma Thomas said, adding “we are pleased however that the world has finally begun to take notice, and the community through the United Nations has now shown a willingness to act”.

Bahamas Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said the Bahamas government is joining the international community “in demanding the return of the more than 200 Nigerian girls abducted from their school”.

On April 14, Boko Haram which means “Western education is forbidden” invaded an all-girl secondary school, then packed the teenagers, who had been taking exams, onto trucks and disappeared into a remote area along the border with Cameroon.

On Monday the group release a video indicating that they were prepared to release the girls, who they said have been converted to Islam, on conditions that the authorities release members of the group who are in prison.

IMAGE: SCREENGRAB OF BOKO HARAM VIDEO PURPORTING TO SHOW KIDNAPPED GIRLS.

For more on this story and to see video go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/caribbean-reacts-to-boko-haram-kidnapping-of-nigerian-schoolgirls?utm_source=Caribbean360%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=c9f1995278-Vol_9_Issue_095_News5_13_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-c9f1995278-39393477

See also related iNews stories with additional links published May 7 2014 “Nigeria abducted schoolgirls: Police reward offered” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/nigeria-abducted-schoolgirls-police-reward-offered/